http://www.statesman.com/life/e-textbooks-are-on-the-way-but-not-871780.html
I am more interested in the barriers to technological change at the classroom level. There is room for technology-- I've been in lots of classrooms and have seen it employed beautifully, or witnessed a dire need for it. There are as many reasons for avoiding it as there are teachers.
Why would you avoid it? What are some of the obstacles that might prevent you from implementing the latest, greatest?
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I feel pretty comfortable with technology at this point so I don't think that I personally would avoid it in my classroom. I think some of the main challenges for most teachers are that they themselves don't feel comfortable using technology. If they don't feel like they have a good grasp on it then they won't want to attempt to teach it to their students, who likely know more about technology than they do. Additionally I think that technology can be very distracting. There have to be specific limits in place and it has to be set up a certain way to prevent students from websurfing and doing whatever they choose during a lesson. Teachers need more education themselves about how they can set up their computer so they can pull up a student's screen anytime, how they can disable internet during lessons, and take other precautions to ensure students work on the task at hand. I really think the biggest challenge is keeping up with technology as it progresses so that you as a teacher can teach it effectively to your class while minimizing distractions.
Sometimes struggling through a concept forces the student to learn the concept more effectively. We can all agree that learning is hard work. However, technology makes the learning process easier, and although they have more access to information, are they actually learning this information or is it simply passing through them without any critical thinking or higher level thinking. Therefore, I think if technology in any way inhibits a students higher level thinking then it should not be used. We want students to think, not let the technology do the thinking for them.
Many times I think that new technology is not as efficient at first until it becomes more mainstream. For example, I have a kindle and it is a little difficult to use because textbook companies are reluctant to utilize it so I only have novels listed on it. It's not as efficient as they made it out to be. When a school decides to use a new technology, they take a risk with how effective (cost effective included) that investment will be. I would also avoid technology in instances where it unnecessarily isolated children from one another.
I would not completely avoid technology in the classroom, but I would incorporate it only if necessary and as an advantage for students. I would not use technology for the reason that many students rely on it too much, rather than focusing on learning the subject matter, they might be distracted by its endless opportunities. Access to these new technologies would be a problem if the students cannot all access it and it malfunctions. No matter how new and improved a technology can be, there are always the chance that students can lag behind. However, technology can help them with clarifying and understanding the lesson.
There are many challenges to implementing the latest and greatest types of technology into any parts of life, let alone the classroom.
I remember I was supremely unimpressed with my brand-new computer which was installed with Windows Vista. Although it was the latest and greatest type of OS that microsoft had to offer, there were simply way too many problems. Certain types of programs wouldn't work. Sometimes programs would appear to work, but then would crash or malfunction unexpectedly. This type of malfunction would lead me on a 2 hour goose chase, trying to search on Google for a way in which to fix a program.
While I was doing this, a friend of mine was happily navigating the internet and doing his own things on a system that was running Windows XP professional. At a fundamental level, there is no difference. Everything runs smoothly. No programs out there are "Vista Only" and as a matter of fact, the code that Vista has is clunky. There are many programs that run in the background of Vista that are relatively pointless, and slow down the system where as Windows XP runs smoothly because it has been optimized with many updates and service packs.
To conclude, in my opinion, to utilize the "latest and greatest" of technology is usually a nightmare. From SmartBoards in the classrooms that were being used by inadequately trained teachers to installing a new operating system on your personal computer: things always go wrong. Technology in schools should only be implemented if it has stood the test of time. I am completely comfortable using Office 2003, even though there are two other newer versions out now. It would be reckless for schools to spend massive amounts of money on technology (such as e-textbooks) that could potentially be more strenuous than beneficial to the student's learning
The only obstacle that would challenge such a view is funds. Schools are already in a budget crisis, cutting programs, firing teachers, eliminating course options, so how would we be able to afford the newest, latest, greatest technological tools? I guess that leads to the question of "would e-books actually decrease costs?" We definitely wouldn't have to replace lost, stolen, or damaged books every year. Not to mention, it'd save an endless amount of paper, and I'm all for becoming paperless (in fact that's my "New School Year Resolution"). All in all, I think that going against the status quo, taking a risk and thinking outside of the box is the only way for progression.
To be honest, I'm not that big a fan of technology. I definitely think it has its time and place in the classroom and can be very effective. Personally I am not very technologically savvy and have bad karma with computers and technological things. Although technology has great potential and can really impact its audience, there is also a lot of room for error. Malfunctions can occur, the quality can be poor, and it can sometimes be quite distracting and/or overwhelming. When technology is used, I think it's very important to use it with diligence and caution. What I really believe is important is finding a balance among different types of teaching styles/techniques. It will be a challenge but I hope that with time and practice I will become more confident with using technology and will therefore be able to become a more effective teacher in the future through implementing and using it in the classroom.
Although technology is a very useful source for assisting teachers in the classroom, there are some issues and setbacks that can cause it to be problematic in the classroom. One reason that I would avoid the use of technology in the classroom is because it's never perfect. In reality, the use of technology could reduce, or take away time from the class because of malfunctions in the system. Multiple times in high school my teachers would give us lectures using power points, youtube videos, or other technological sources. Maybe the teacher did not know how to use the program correctly, but often the program would malfunction, and valuable class time would be taken away as the teacher tried to fix it.
Another reason that I would not implement the latest and greatest technology is because in some ways, it would take away from the education of students. Things like calculators can allow students to take "the easy way out" as the calculator does the work for them. Like it says in the 'Wired' article, people are going to stop memorizing things, because they know that they can find it on the internet. And finally, technology can be a distraction for students, as there are so many things that a student can do online. If a student is taking the easy way out, constantly refreshing their memory on the internet, and distracted during class, are they really learning the material that is being taught?
I feel I will embrace new technology in the classroom in order to improve the learning environment in the classroom. But I would avoid technology if it did not help my teaching. If the software were unreliable or not useful using it in the classroom would not be beneficial. An obstacle, which may prevent me from implementing the latest and greatest technology, is lack of knowledge and training. Ease of use is a very important in way to prevent disruption in class and get the most out of the learning environment. Technology is the best when it is developed for each individual classroom the newest soft wear is not always the best.
I would avoid technologies that I was not confident in using myself. I would avoid technologies that I found harmful to my health. Otherwise I can't think of any logical reason why I shouldn't use it.
-CORMAC
I am still apprehensive to technology in a classroom setting mostly because I feel it removes a child from real hands-on learning. But, there are still many important and valuable lessons that can be taught while utilizing technology. Some obstacles that are preventing me from utilizing technology in a classroom are that I myself am not technologically savvy, and don't have a huge interest in implementing technology in my classroom. Another obstacle is technology is constantly changing, so what we might teach in the classroom one year, could change within the next year. That being said, it usually is nothing drastic, but it can become cumbersome trying to keep up with the ever- changing technology. Lastly, technology can be a distraction in the classroom. Students might be utilizing Google as a search engine, and instead of using it for classroom purposes, they may be tempted to avoid the lesson for the day.
I think in this day and age, it is important to bring technology into the classroom environment because it is an ever changing network. Our students are going to be using technology for the rest of their lives so they should begin to use it as early as possible. I can see where some teachers would not want to use technology in the classroom because it can be disruptive and time consuming if there is a malfunction. Technology in the classroom can be very helpful and can expand students' knowledge in multiple ways. In some cases though, where technology may fail and inhibit learning, then it should not be used in the class.
The biggest obstacle would of course be expense. The newest and greatest technology is almost always the most expensive! Now if money was not an obstacle I would still be some what hesitant with using so much technology in my classroom. I do believe in computers, but I also believe that students need to learn the basics before relying on technology. The basics include knowing how to use a dictionary and in this case carrying their own books! I'm not quite on the e-book wagon, but by the time I'm a teacher most likely all classrooms will be equipped with e-books and other techno-goodies, but as of now I'm on the fence!
In my case, one of the challenges with implementing technology in the classroom would be that not every student understands technology, what it is, or how to use it. Some kindergartners might not even know how to use a mouse, type on a keyboard or even read for that matter. This might keep me from using technological advances like an e-textbook. I also feel like students physically holding, feeling, and reading a book is not a negative thing at any age. There are major differences between reading on a screen and reading from a page in a book. I am not one to criticize the use of technology in the classroom, and some may say it's old-fashioned, but I do think that reading from books should not be a thing of the past.
I think that technology can be used effectively for most age groups; however, I would want to take into account the particular school, community and class before deciding to invest in something that would move them away from printed works. For me, there is something lost in the reading experience when I read on a Kindle or iPad, and I wouldn't want to start that too early when kids should just be learning to enjoy reading books, with the holding and page-turning that goes along with it.
I would also worry in a practical way about the effects of using (overusing) keyboards or even touchscreen devices in terms of repetitive stress injuries for young children, who can be susceptible to them.
I have a certain amount of "techo-phobia," as illustrated by my ability to crash computers on the first day of class, so perhaps the only barrier I could envision would be one of personal unease. I am someone who learns best by doing, and while technology gives me instant hands-on access in many ways, it also contains a certain abstract element that often confuses me. For example, when trying to post to a blog I accidentally posted in the wrong field, and then had no idea how to correct my error. At this point anxiety takes over and I find my ability to learn and therefore teach shutting down. I believe that this class will be a good antidote for my phobia because it will teach me to become comfortable with technological formats I only know of abstractly. If used with ease and knowledge and an understanding of appropriateness, I believe there are no barriers to what technology can do in the classroom.
I think the benefits of technology in the classroom far outweigh the obstacles. If a student is confused and needs extra help with the technology, it's an opportunity for them to learn it. Since technology is such a part of "real life", students should be learning how to use it productively. As far as the e-textbooks, I like that they make the content searchable, but I personally can't stand reading too much on a computer screen and would print it out anyway. I think most barriers have a counter-advantage that would be taken into consideration when a teacher uses a new technology.
Technology is no different in the classroom than it is say in biology. It holds much promise for good but can also lead to distopia. We've discussed many of technologies advantages and everyone agrees that the the benefits to student engagement and communication far outweigh the potential pitfalls. But let's identify some of the pitfalls so that we can avoid them:
Pitfall 1 - The office supply phenomena: People often fall prey to believing that technology makes everything in life simpler. Boy, if I just had google maps I'd never get lost, or if I just had power-point, everyone would understand me. Kind of like thinking that new fax machine or cool desk chair would make you more productive. This is a dangerous myth. In the end, hard work and good ideas make good products, not the technology itself. There is great danger that students and teachers will spend all their time chasing the next great technology while failing to deliver content.
Danger #2: The It's better because it looks better myth. Just because it's got tons of flash animation doesn't make it true or better. We have to make sure that we are not privleging style over substance.
Danger #3: The "I can't get this technology to work so I must be stupid and my ideas are not worthwhile trap." Teachers must be very careful not to turn students off by too much tech. Students can become frustrated by the simple act of opening a document and loose interest in the subject matter.
Technology is here to stay, and that's a good thing. However we need to watch out for some trouble spots.
The initial obstacles I can think of would be cost and time based. New Technologies are expensive and some are painfully different from the precursors. It may be hard for teachers/ principles to qualify spending a significant sum on something that will inevitably be obsolete in the not too distant future.
For many teachers/ educators, it is difficult to devote time to learning a new system. This is especially true if time and thought has gone into utilizing an older technology. For this reason, I find that teacher training and professional development for technology to be one of the most crucial steps in promoting educational technology. Someone has to be willing and able to look past the challenges of a new technology, and see it for its possibilities. Thats sort of what I am interested in, in the long term.
There are a few reasons for "avoiding" technology in the classroom, and I will examine a few of them. Though I still think many of these problems can be worked around using some creativity and problem solving skills, they are still important to examine.
First, and possibly most important, is funding. New, cutting edge technology is expensive. We already have an environment where public schools are not making all of their ends meet when it comes to funding programs. Though this can be combated by grants and donations, it still remains an issue. A supplemental problem to the expense of technology also exists: it changes rapidly. Most of the time the latest update in technology is more expensive.
Another issue with technology in the classroom could be described as a digital divide between those who know how to use technology, and those who do not and are turned off by the thought of learning to use it. This problem can be exacerbated by a teacher who is even more clueless to the use of technology than their students.
A problem with increasingly complex devices is that the potential for malfunction tends to increase as well. Troubleshooting expensive equipment can distract from the learning process.
Personally, I think that slightly outdated technology can still be useful, students and teachers can learn how to use technology, and troubleshooting malfunction can be a teaching moment in problem solving.
Technology is often avoided due to expense, time, and knowledge necessary to practically utilize it. Pen and Paper are ubiquitous and easily used. The ever increasing and changing technologies require time to learn. Not everyone has access to all the hardware necessary to learn all the software available. To first use a piece of technology as an instructional tool, a teacher must teach the proper use of that technology, then they can move on to the actual subject that they are teaching. Additionally, many problems arise from using new technologies, whether it is due to human or machine error. Solving these technological issues results in time lost, and if the problem cannot be fixed during class time, the teacher's lesson plan is compromised and the students miss out on information. Lastly, staying on top of all the "latest, greatest" technologies is extremely expensive. It has been said, in casual conversation, that the moment you buy a computer, it is obsolete. Buying on a classroom, let alone a school-wide, level is unaffordable.
We can assume that most useful technologies have come to mainstream use through trial-and-error and standing the test of time. Learning new technologies is like getting over a hangover: you just need time, and you'll be fine.
A main issue with implementing new technologies is the time it takes to find the most efficient purpose. To use iPads or E-Readers or webpages or blogs, etc, you need time to find the most efficient way of using these technologies. Similar to how the newest "Web 2.0" technology has come into play, as the new technologies are instilled, just wait until a "viral" use almost self-creates.
Other issues with new technology is the unfair playing field for students with the funds to use technologies outside of the classroom. If a classroom technology comes with a level of expectation on how to use the technology, those with sufficient means will be ahead of the curve, will take less time and energy to utilize the technology. Those behind will be left further behind. So long as there is sufficient time to educate all students on HOW TO USE the software or hardware, and it doesn't detract from the given time for the specific subject material, then it will be useful.
The first thing that comes to mind is that I wouldn't know how to use whatever the new technology is, to its fullest potential. There is certainly a big learning curve that comes along with new technology and I'm afraid that I would not learn it in time and then something else better will come along and I will always be one step behind everyone. Sort of how I am now, although I'm trying. One thing that hinders me is the cost of it. By the time I can afford to invest in some new kind of technology it is already becoming obsolete. I'm sure a lot of people my age and in my income bracket are feeling the same way about this.
One of my goals as a new teacher is to try and attend some continuing ed classes and seminars that deal with new technology. I know I will be going to ones that deal with reading, math, etc. It would be great to attend one that encompasses all these different topics and bring how we can use technology to teach these different subjects. I'm sure they exist out there somewhere and my job is going to have to be to seek those out.
I am currently an associate teacher in a second grade classroom and one of my goals for the year is to have my students take some photos and teach them how to make a slideshow in iphoto or imovie. Unfortunately, I don't know how to do those things myself. So...that is another goal of mine for the school year!
I'm going to try and be as open can be when it comes to implementing new technology into my classroom and not be afraid of it cause it's not scary.
I believe there are several reasons that some teachers may avoid technology, but the main may be lack of funding to employ technology in classrooms and/or the feeling of incompetence or being tech-illiterate. Personally, the only reason I would avoid the use of technology would simply be because it was impossible based on funds in my school. An issue I personally have with using the internet too much is the lack of student interaction with books. Especially in students who are still mastering their reading skills, books are critical. I would rather see my students reading an actual book rather than a book on Kindle, for example. However, there are ways to create a balance in your classroom and ensure that your students are gaining knowledge and skills from multiple places.
As an elementary school teacher, an initial obstacle (other than a lack of funding) could be the inability to find ways that you can use technology with younger students. (For example, you will not be able to communicate assignments directly to the student via e-mail or blogs). However, this is NOT an obstacle. It's an opportunity! If you use your imagination, you can think up a million ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. Teaching strategies and forums are ever-changing and progressing so there is no reason to be intimidated by "the latest and greatest." Part of teaching is being a student yourself, so find ways to teach yourself how to utilize technology and come up with specific ways to use it within your classroom. If you are an elementary school teacher like myself, get creative!
I don't think I would avoid technology in my classroom at all. There's so many references and resources available online- for free! Plus like we talked about in class, technology is really exciting right now for students to play around with. I was in a 5th grade classroom when they first got a smart board installed, and they all couldn't wait to go up to the board and write in answers to math problems, or give mini lectures with the pointer, or use the little mic that was given along with the board to answer questions. While it is because of the fact that it's something new, it's still encouraging the students to participate!
There are really only a couple challenges I see: funding is the biggest one. I'm not sure how expensive the technology is for schools to get, but I'm sure it's really hard to get the latest, greatest.
The second challenge is that I haven't seen technology implemented in the classroom in super innovative ways yet, so I'm still stuck on how to do that myself. I would really like to see more firsthand models of teacher creativity with technology.
-Robin van Schravendijk
The advent of e-books has had a profound influence on the way written material has been distributed. I have downloaded sizable textbooks to my laptop, such as 600-page history books, which eliminates the worry about carrying a heavy tome around with me. In the case of a classroom text, the digital format would save students the same problem, i.e. having to tote around large quantities of heavy books every day.
However, if the textbook were only available in digital form, the teacher would not be able to assign certain activities, such as reading part of a chapter at one's own pace in class before a discussion. Also, certain students may work better having the text in front of them when the need for referring to different parts of the book arises, i.e. the "formal awareness" of the book, if you will, is lost.
I can totally see avoiding technologies in the future, as they come down the pipeline. Comparatively, I've been an early adopter for some time--used a BBS before the internet, newsgroups before point-to-point protocol, webbrowsing before Netscape.
But I'm happy to keep using my 5-year-old computer. And although I've had a smart phone for over 5 years, I'm in no hurry to toss it just because it's a little clunky by this month's technology standards. I'm not sure for how long we can keep producing new technology for the sake of new technology. Not sure if it's because I'm getting older, or because I'm seeing increasingly diminished returns with each, big, supposed "advance."
Don't get me wrong; I totally appreciate the value of electronic access, and I know it will be essential to my teaching. However, if smartboards aren't in my classroom (or hadn't been invented yet), I'm sure this will not affect my capacity to engage my students. Ultimately, the experience in the classroom--interacting with others and learning hands-on--will make the biggest difference.
Regarding books, I would say it's key to save resources and shift to e-books sooner rather than later. The reason I've not begun this comment on the subject of e-books is that we're in the 3rd week of high school now, teaching physics, and we've not needed to open the textbook even once yet!
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